The embodiments herein relate generally to devices to recruit muscles of a user for training, rehabilitation and exercise purposes.
Individuals perform a wide variety of movements such as isotonic, isometric, isokinetic and plyometric exercises to recruit, strengthen and develop different muscle groups. Individuals with busy lives continually seek exercise routines that target different muscle groups with greater efficiency.
Several training and exercise devices exist as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,251, U.S. Patent Application Publications 2015/0375045, 2014/0213414 and 2010/0093493. These devices permit the user to perform a variety of movements and/or exercises with varied resistance. However, these devices are limited because they comprise several complex components and/or are limited in their ability to allow the user to alternate the performance of different types of exercises quickly during a single workout session.
As such, there is a need in the industry for an exercise apparatus to enhance muscle fiber recruitment of a user that addresses the limitations of the prior art. There is a further need for an exercise apparatus that is configured to provide resistance for a period of time to enable the user to perform an isometric contraction followed by a release of resistance to permit the user to perform a plyometric contraction against a light or minimal load.